Subject:
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Re: New legend is up
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Fri, 12 Jul 2002 01:13:21 GMT
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Viewed:
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2986 times
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First let me say that I would like to see some smaller sets rereleased as
well as large ones. Sets the size of Guarded Inn, Pizza to Go, etc are the
backbone of the line and sell in larger quantities as new sets. So I have no
argument with the thesis that some small sets would be desirable.
My argument would be two fold:
1 - WHICH small sets to include
2 - if there is an SKU budget and only N sets can be included in a year's
rereleases, is it better to release N small ones or N large ones???
In lugnet.general, Allan Bedford writes:
> In lugnet.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > For me, anyway, if it's pre minifig era, it's not that interesting of a set.
> > (regardless of whether it has slopes or inverse slopes or what have you) The
> > advent of the minifig was when set design really blossomed.
>
> This is probably true for some people. Though I'm not sure how the minifig
> and good set design are related.
Me either, except that there seems to be a positive correlation. It's not
that minifigs are REQUIRED to be present, it's just that the sets to me (and
I suspect to most other people, you could do some research if you distrust
my gut feeling on this, I suppose) that are more interesting start appearing
around the time the minifig does...
> You could claim that the Double Decker Bus (set #384) is also primitive by
> today's standards. But wouldn't some people enjoy it not only for its
> original design, but also for all those slopes and windows?
384 is woefully primitive by todays standards and would be viewed as a parts
pack by most, I suspect (and what a parts pack, woohoo... ). That does not a
good legend make, in my view. Spend the SKU on an actual parts pack instead.
> As well, the Lunar Base (set #367) looks clunky and outdated in blue. But
> imagine it released as a Legend in shades of grey. All those slopes with
> which to build other models.
Ditto. Legends are not parts packs. They are good sets. Neither Lunar Base
nor London Bus are good sets by post 1980 standards. Just great parts packs.
(and in the case of LB, an impractical one since we surmise they cannot
produce the 1x1 window at this time)
> I'm just floating the idea that some of the old sets, although dated, could
> be turned into a Legend if so desired. But so could many good (large and
> small) sets from the 80's and of course 90's. I'm not suggesting that any
> of these sets ever come out again, only that they _could_.
OK, that's fine. Your examples are not the best choices though. If you
acknowledge that, we're all set. But I suspect you do not. I suspect you
think your examples are great legends candidates.
> > That's not the only opinion out there of course, and I have collected a few
> > pre minifig sets mostly to satisfy my own desire for sets of historical
> > interest, but I suspect that pre minifig sets are not viable candidates from
> > a production volume standpoint.
>
> I don't agree, but you are entitled to feel this way. I would suggest there
> are things other than minifigs being included which make a set great. None
> of the super cars have minifigs, but people seem to like them. :)
See above. It's not minifigs per se, it's the blossoming that happened
around 1979-1980 when the sets all of a sudden got a lot better. I don't
know why, I just know they DID.
> > That may not be YOUR opinion of course, but I suspect a survey would reveal
> > that you're in a small minority.
> I have long ago realized that I am a minority of one. My opinion usually
> _doesn't_ jive with the masses. And I'm perfectly happy with that. :)
As an outlook on life, that's great. As a guide for running a business or
for deciding what to produce, it's not the best place to be.
> > LEGO(r) being a business, that matters.
>
> ? Is this a new slogan?
New? Hardly. I have understood this to be the case and have articulated it
to be so for years and years. But maybe I should adopt it as a slogan!
> Or a dangling issue/point you were trying to make?
> Sorry, you lost me on this one.
Seems *blazingly* obvious to me.
But then I am a businessman first and foremost, concerned with what is
practical and what makes economic sense and what is rational. I guess I
should remember that you don't operate that way.
OK, here goes....
Suppose you are indeed a minority of one and there exists some potential
legend that you would buy more than any other legend at all, but no one else
would buy it under any cirumstances (implausible but this is the extreme case).
Is that a good candidate for a legend? For you maybe, you get what you most
desire. But for LEGO(r) this would be a bad choice. They are going to sell
quantity 1 because only you would buy it.
No, LEGO would be better suited to release a legend that a *lot* of people
would buy. Since I suspect the choices you posited are far exceeded by other
sets, LEGO would be well served to produce legends that lots of people want
rather than that few people want.
My thesis is that pre minifig era sets are not going to be very popular (not
because they don't have minifigs, but because they are crude and
unrefined....) and that therefore they are not good legends candidates
because while it's not the extreme case where only YOU would buy it, they
still will not sell as well as some other candidates would.
I'm pretty satisfied that i am correct about what sets are good candidates
and what sets are not, based on knowledge of AFOLs and what they like as
well as based on knowledge of what my own kids like. (those being the two
markets, us and kids with kids giving 90% of the custom)
Hope that helps!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: New legend is up
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| (...) I don't know, I think 384 stands up pretty well. Sure, it doesn't have seats, and perhaps is a bit short for minifigs, so it's not perfect, but Steve Barile's looks nice on the PNLTC mall layout (I haven't heard anyone comment on the fact that (...) (22 years ago, 12-Jul-02, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: New legend is up
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| (...) In what way? Some sort of unofficial vote perhaps? Or are you referring to something else? (...) This is probably true for some people. Though I'm not sure how the minifig and good set design are related. (...) And to me they are interesting. (...) (22 years ago, 11-Jul-02, to lugnet.general)
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